Maryland Zoo has, like so many other zoos, a farm area. It once won awards back in the early 1990's. It's home to various species of: goats, sheep, alpaca, pigs, donkeys and swans. Two of our signature conservation animals are our Trumpeter Swans (we've contributed dozens of offspring to wild restoration efforts in Iowa and Oregon. And our Kune Kune pigs, ambassadors of the endangered species native to New Zealand. There is also a small group of miniature Texas Long-horn Cattle that you can only hope to get a look at if you ride the zoo train.
I have big dreams for this area. I would love to keep most of the current incumbents, but rechristened the space: "The World Farm @ the Maryland Zoo" With an emphasis on endangered domestic species.
1) I would replace the current pig/sheep house with a new duo of structures that would reflect a fusion of New Zealand and Southern Steppe architecture. I would keep the Kune Kune pigs and replace the Cotswold Sheep with Karakul Sheep. The renovation would include an expansive yard behind the building to allow for at least 6 animals: (1 Ram and 5 Ewes), and plans to sell offspring to private breeders to off-set the cost of caring for the herd.
2) Expanded Alpaca and Goat yards
3) Maintain the current Mediterranean Miniature Donkey and Trumpeter Swan habitats.
4) North of the Goat Yard, build a new barn in the white-washed Gaelic style and host a small group of Highland Cattle.
5) Across the path from the new cattle barn I would create a paddock for horses. The barn could be centered between two sets of pens and include two species: a) Assateague Island Ponies, and possibly Galeciños.
6) Transform the little orchard that is there now into a habitat from Running Ducks from India. This would include a sizable pond and duck house built in the style of a rural Indian animal house. Further, I would design a lattice over part of the pond and train cucumbers to climb it and provide a canopy for summer shade, while allowing guests to see how the fruit grows off the ground and dangles so it can be easily harvested by someone in a little boat. (An ingenious practice I encountered while traveling in China.) You could also place the Peafowl in this habitat.
7) On the northern edge of all of this clear out a space to include a Rabbitarium--the first structure dedicated to the preservation of endangered Rabbit species in any AZA institution. A breeding program could also contribute to the zoo's income. The building would be an octogon with entrances on opposite sides and three exterior spaces on opposite sides of these with three interior spaces to match. The Idea would be to celebrate European Breeds with perhaps the following endangered and critically endangered species present: Belgian Hare (Belgium), Blanc de Hotot and Creme d'Argent (France), Silver Martin (England), Gotland Rabbit (Sweden) and the Carmagnola Grey (Italy). Displays could feature a wider range of endangered species and even highlight some wild breeds that are endangered like the Riverine Hare of South Africa.
One of the draws of the Farm is to give people opportunities to see adorable animals that they can whenever possible interact with. It's also important to demonstrate how animals and people interact in other places. What domestication looks like and the fact that breeds of domesticated animals can also go extinct.
8) And finally beyond the new far end of the farm area establish an heirloom Apple orchard. This would highlight the fact that even fruit species can go extinct. It might also lead to an annual Heirloom Apple festival with all sort of potential revenue streams for the zoo. It would also require a certain amount of engineering prowess to be successful in keeping out the local deer. In this area the main feature is a hillock. I would love to see that turned into a raised "field" with steep stone walls all around of say 10 feet with a stylish wrought iron fencing around it. Access would come via a set of steps with a complimentary ADA ramp and a gate sufficient to keep the deer out. A space large enough to hold 16 trees, 8 each of two endangered heirloom species like: the Virginia Greening and the Roxbury Russet. The latter is considered the oldest apple cultivar to originate in the United States.
That's a lot. Here are some pics of our lovely farmyard folk.